I currently live in Los Angeles, and am moving away from L.A. in July when my lease is up with my boyfriend...

We were considering Oregon, Reno area, or Redding, CA (all closer to excellent fly fishing waters).

But now we think we want to move out of the U.S. instead. I'm going to Argentina next week for a month and have a close friend that lives there. We are considering moving there if we like it, my mom says I will, and I am very well traveled.
Plus it is one of the best countries in the world for fly fishing.


Two other considerations are Baja Mexico or Canada.

I want some response to overseas Americans and advice... tax issues, residency issues, anything you have to offer. I just graduated college and have nothing to tie me down besides two small dogs who will go anywhere I will. My boyfriend just quit his job as a software engineer since he makes the same amount on online poker as his work salary. I could sell my car, furniture, ect... and live off that and his poker winnings almost indefinately, especially somewhere as cheap as Argentina. We have no credit card debt. We would like to move somewhere cheaper than the U.S. so we can buy property or invest in the future.

Any advice from Americans living overseas for a while or Americans who have done it would be wonderful and greatly appriciated. I remember Andymiami said he lived in B.A. for 7 years, so your reply would be wonderful. Feel free to email me if you like. I would like to go to somewhere (if possible) that I could learn another language (I only speak some German besides English and my boyfriend speaks some Spanish and fluent Korean).

Thanks,

Vanessa

I would love to go to Argentina. If I was going to move to a country in Central America I would look closely at Belize. It is the most stable country in Central America.

Belize is wonderful. Argentina is ok, but a lot of turmoil there and gringos can be targets for ransom and such.

Advice : Get insurance, most are British carriers, speak the language, try not to stand out.

Tax issue depend if youare there for temporary or permanent. You must make payment income to the US on income if you are on temporary duty and plan to return to the states. I would seek the advice of an accountant after 15th of April.

Please also remember that you must apply for residency. Please--- know the quickest way to the embassy as well.

Seg..

Of course I'd get residency asap... I would like dual citizenship asap, want as many options as I can... If you stay out the states 11 months of the year isn't there an amount tax free that one can keep if not made in the U.S.?

Buenos Aires is a big, huge city along the lines of New York.

Have you considered Costa Rica....very safe (no army) and many Americans there...also fairly inexpensive.

I, too, someday would like to live in a foreign country...if only for 3 months out of the year. My biggest concern would be health care and access to competent physicians.

I live in Los Angeles now so big city is no issue. I have a very close friend in Buenos Aires, also a factor in my decision (help when I get there to file papers, get apartment, utilities, ect...).

As for health care, this may sound bad but I'm young (will be 25 in June, and my boyfriend is 30), so it is not my biggest concern.

Oh and Seg, since we are an inneracial couple (I'm German and Eastern European, and he is Korean, we almost always look like Americans). B.A. does have a growing Korean population though.


Vanessa

This message has been edited. Last edited by: vs084,

i can't add anything besides the fact that my boss makes annualy fly fishing trips to S.A. and Argentina...it must be good for people to travel across the globe for it.

That's one of the main reasons we are considering Argentina, and possibly Canada if we highly dislike it (which I will know soon, leaving next week). Fly fishing is so much fun, I have only done it a year and love it so much. I was never a fisherwoman before either, so it isn't a love a fishing progressed to another level.

Vanessa

quote:

Originally posted by vs084:
That's one of the main reasons we are considering Argentina, and possibly Canada if we highly dislike it (which I will know soon, leaving next week). Fly fishing is so much fun, I have only done it a year and love it so much. I was never a fisherwoman before either, so it isn't a love a fishing progressed to another level.

Vanessa

Vanessa,

If you are thinking about Canada why not consider Alaska. I was stationed at Ft Wainwright which is right out side of Fairbanks. Alaska is a beautiful state.

I was in Argentina in Nov. Loved it. Buenos Aires is interesting, but like any big city, you need to know where & where not to go.

If you're into fishing, consider the Patagonia region. Bariloche is a nice, if rathy touristy city at the base of the Andes Mts. Lots of beautiful lakes around & good fishing. Esquel is another very nice town- smaller 7 more relaxed than Bariloche. I found the people very friendly & if you have US$s, thee cost of living is very low.

Alaska is only out because:

I grew up in Las Vegas (desert)

I live in Los Angeles now

So snow is a major issue I want to avoid most of the time, Canada would be ok because I can live in Baja during the winter.

Also if I move to Argentina, I plan to travel south for fishing trips alot.

I was stationed in Alaska in 81-82 and I know a lot has changed since then but back then a person could homestead up to 1000 acres for $.07 per acre of what we called walk on property since there were no roads so you had to walk there or fly or build your own road. If it was located next to a river during the summer you could get to it by boat and in the winter it became a frozen road. I have many good memories of Alaska and my one day return there to live.

Vanessa,
You have mail.
Andy

I am Canadian and my wife and I moved to Geneva almost five years ago. I can't tell you much about South/Central America, but I can give you these lessons that I learned... take them for what it's worth - I'm sure it's different for every person.

1. Don't go without a job unless you know how easy it is to get one. If your boyfriend can make enough for you to live off playing poker you should be okay, but don't put yourselves in a position where you get there, need a job, and find out that it's not legal for you to work there, that no one will hire you without the local language... this is WAY too big to guess about, and if it takes a year to get the permits cared for before you go - take the year, and do it properly.

2. Know the language. Maybe you are able to pick up languages easily - I had high hopes when I moved here, but French is tough, and you may have trouble as well if you move somewhere without knowing the language in advance. It can make it tough to be employed, tough to make friends, tough to do basic things like getting a phone hooked up or figuring out an insurance contract.

3. Don't go expecting things to be the same as where you came from. If you travel a lot this may be obvious to you, but I am amazed at the number of people who arrive and then are dismayed when things are different. If you don't want things to be different, don't go.

4. Don't give up on your friends and family, but understand that they won't be enough. Life, after a while, will continue on as normal for them, and if you want to keep the relationships going, you may have to be the one to send the email or pick up the phone 90% of the time. Don't resent it, just take it as part of leaving. In the same way, you will need support there. Find other expats, make local friends, find a church, and become part of a community.

5. Make it home. If you really want to experience the time there, make it as permenant as you can. Don't live out of a box. Don't talk about going home when you're going to visit your family, talk about going home when you're leaving them. The attitude you take in will make a huge difference.

For me, it's been life-changing. The growth has been incredible, my understanding of the world has opened immeasurably, and my sympathy for immigrants is worlds away from what it used to be. It's also been great for my relationship with my wife, and we've learned to support each other in really tough times. It has been frustrating and lonely and insanely difficult at times, but I am really glad I gave it a shot. Good luck!

Thanks!


So I'm moving there in 3 months, I just got back last night for a 3 week trip. I plan to go to the consolate next week to work on residency. About a job, selling our cars and furniture and my savings will be enough money to last us a few years. I am moving to a city were I need $600-700 a month to live, that includes a daily dog walker and maid twice a week from a city (l.a.) where we pay $2000 a month rent. I have 2 close family friends there, brothers, and they have already extended me everything while I was there (showing me around neighborhoods, helping me look at ads for apartments, taking me to different grocery stores so I have an idea whats available, ect...) They both are also willing to help me get an apartment and utilities when I get there if I need a co-sponser (which I may depending on my resident status).

The language will be difficult, I have already found a many intensive programs and will try my first choice for a week before longer term commitment. French is hard, with the genders and such. I am fortunate enough to speak German preety well (my mom is a german immigrant) and I have studied it in college so these harder concepts are not new to me, just a new language. Thank god Spanish has 2 genders, not 3!!!

Thanks for the advice on the friends home and how 90% of this will be my responsibility. Besides my mother, I'm sure this will be the case, it is great advice.

As for other expats, I was reading in the English newspaper that there is a meeting every Tuesday for newcoming expats find others like themselves. Also my friends who live there will introduce me to people. As for church, thats not for me, but I plan to join the flyfishing club as soon as my Spanish is a little better.

On making it home: I was sad to come back to the states yesterday and only seeing my dogs made the trip a little easier (B.A. is a very dog friendly city by the way). Since I will selling most of my stuff and putting as little as possible in storage (besides my 50+ pairs of shoes), I will be taking what means something to me, my humidor, ect...

I dont worry about missing my friends too much since most of them come to l.a. infrequently and I hate going to las vegas to visit them.

Thanks so much for your advice!!!

Any other advice is greatly welcomed.